York Regional Police say four youths and one adult have been charged with assault in the April incident at Sutton District High School.

A black student was beaten in a York Region schoolyard as onlookers yelled racial slurs — the same high school that last year had to ban teens from wearing items adorned with the controversial Confederate flag.

Four youths and one adult have been charged with assault in the April incident at Sutton District High School, filmed by several students who watched the morning attack of punches and kicks as one onlooker yelled “pound the n-----.”

Others then taunt a white student after he falls, saying “you’re losing to the black kid,” followed by: “Get the n-----, get pounding.”

“There is deep-seated racial tension at this school” that the York public board isn’t dealing with, said Shernett Martin, executive director of the Vaughan African Canadian Association, who met with the principal and superintendent after being in contact with the boy’s family.

York board spokesperson Licinio Miguelo said “the school has and continues to treat it very seriously and take appropriate measures.”

However, the family was upset to only learn of the assault at 8 p.m. at night, when it occurred in the morning as teens got off the bus, Martin said.

The boy has medical issues, and is quiet and withdrawn. His family said he’d been bullied on the bus for at least four months, she added.

“They’re devastated,” Martin said.

York Regional Police’s hate crime unit is monitoring the case and working with the York Region District School Board “to address education pertaining to human rights and hate crime,” said Const. Andy Pattenden.

Last year, after Sutton students showed up for class wearing clothing and items adorned with the Confederate flag, the principal banned the symbol.

The flag has long been associated with prejudice and racism, and students were openly wearing belt buckles, backpacks and bandanas that featured it prominently. At the time, the principal said only a few students were involved.

Miguelo said the school implemented new “inclusivity programs” after that and more are on the way.

“The incidents aren’t necessarily related, but we are addressing the issue,” he said.